A lease agreement is signed between Chem Chem and the Burunge Wildlife Management Area, for an area to the west of Lake Manyara, which forms part of the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor. Devoid of wildlife and overrun with domestic animals and invasive plant species, the area’s ecosystem is on the brink of collapse. Chem Chem Association is founded and the first anti-poaching unit is formed.

CCA’s anti-poaching units combine forces with WMA rangers to promote the relocation of illegal settlers off of the protected wildlife area. And, although Tanzania officially declares the Kwakuchinja Corridor abandoned, zebras are spotted at the lake’s shore for the first time. In the meantime, construction begins on Chem Chem Lodge, creating over 300 jobs for people from nearby communities.

Educational meetings take place between the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (BWMA) team and leaders from ten surrounding villages to raise awareness of the ecological importance of the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor and the benefits of its protection to the communities. Chem Chem Association builds three boreholes for neighbouring communities.

The first of Chem Chem Safari’s properties, Chem Chem Lodge, opens its doors to the public. 75 members from local communities receive hospitality training and the anti-poaching unit is expanded to 40 rangers.

Chem Chem Association builds its first classrooms at Mdori Primary School to accommodate over 300 children. The first of many projects committed to making a meaningful and sustainable difference to the local communities surrounding the lodge.

Chem Chem signs the lease for a second, 16,000ha tract of wilderness within the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor, expanding its efforts to rehabilitate the ecosystem. Little Chem Chem opens in this new protected wildlife area, creating 50 more jobs. Chem Chem Safari now employs 120 people from local communities on a full-time basis.

One year after its establishment, Chem Chem Association’s Soccer League has evolved into a fully fledged tournament involving 20 local football teams from 10 different villages. The 6-week-long tournament draws approximately 1,000 people from the region.

The first women's community microfinancing group (CMG) is founded at Mdori, where a marketplace literacy course is introduced to teach the fundamentals of business management.

Our dedicated conservation efforts begin to yield success, with the first returning elephants seen in the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor, followed by herds of giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest.

Research projects begin with rangers continuously collecting data on the movements of the last big tuskers of Tanzania. A lion is collared to properly monitor its movements and prove that the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem is healing.

A joint anti-poaching patrol team is formed in partnership with the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (BWMA) and Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA). Forest Chem Chem opens its doors to guests, with Chem Chem now employing over 200 community members full-time.

As our partnerships with local communities continue to strengthen, the second Mdori Primary School is built. Rajabu Athumani, a local football player from the Mdori village team, is selected to play for the Tanzanian national football team.

Despite the global pandemic, Chem Chem manages to keep its doors open, albeit in a reduced capacity, ensuring the support of our staff’s livelihoods. With the sudden loss of tourism leading to a significant reduction in the number of joint anti-poaching patrols from partner agencies, only those supported by Chem Chem Association remain operational on the ground.

As a result of persistent anti-poaching efforts and continued advocacy among key stakeholders and local communities, elephants use the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor for the first time in 40 years, travelling from Tarangire National Park to bathe in Lake Manyara.

The Tanzanian government officially recognises our commitment to rehabilitating the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor. The Corridor is ranked third out of twenty wildlife corridors prioritised for protection — a testament to the resounding success of our conservation efforts.

Chem Chem Association begins its Economic Empowerment Programme, in partnership with Hand-in-Hand International and Hand In Hand Tanzania, to equip community members with financial and entrepreneurial skills to start their own businesses. A new partnership with Lesson in Conservation (LiC) expands our Conservation Education Program, with a goal of reaching 21 primary schools by 2026 and engaging over 1,000 children each year.

Construction begins on the Joint Monitoring and Protection Centre (JMPC) in collaboration with various governmental agencies. This trailblazing project is set to become a hub for conservation data management and wildlife monitoring not only in the Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor, but across Tanzania.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is signed between Chem Chem Association and the Tanzanian government. This MOU lays the groundwork for the expansion of the Kwakuchnija Wildlife Corridor’s protected area, setting officially recognised boundaries and outlining a plan for its protection.